Home Relational Organizing Resource Relational Organizing Overview People vote when they feel their lives and others will be materially changed for the better because of the results of an election. And that is why campaigns exist: to get the word out to voters why someone should vote for Team Apple over Team Orange. But when fewer and fewer adults follow the news closely, and those who do get their news from an ever-increasing range of sources, the task of getting a campaign’s message out to voters has become more difficult. Additionally, our ability to reach voters through traditional tactics of canvassing, phone banking, and texting has seen diminishing results over the past 10 to 15 years. While campaigns are able to reach out to more and more people, contact rates have fallen and the people we do reach are not representative of the voters we need to win elections. Lo and behold, there’s you! You are your friend’s trusted messenger, their democracy influencer, their one-of-a-kind bespoke personalized social media news feed. Slay. And all you have to do is what you’ve always done: drop it in the group chat. Or in an email, or during a coffee date, a PowerPoint Party, whatever you think works best for you and your network. There’s a name for all of this, and you’ve probably heard it before: relational organizing. Relational organizing is reaching out to the people you already know and mobilizing them to vote. It is not dropping a link to a polling location in mid-October; it is creating space to share social posts, articles, content, and — big entrance here — listen to how your friends feel about any number of issues, and then follow up with them over time. Ultimately, yes, our goal is to get our friends to vote. (What can we say, we wanna keep this democracy group project going just a bit longer.) The goal of relational organizing is to: Connect our friend’s values to *shrugs in all directions* the relevant issues out there Share why voting matters to us Help our networks make a voting plan This resource, along with the accompanying Relational Organizing Worksheet (view only version), are meant to help walk you through the process of using your status as a trusted messenger to mobilize your friends to vote. If you’re on the prowl for even more resources, say good articles to share, or relational organizing programs to join, stop by the Vote Save America Community Slack! Components of relational organizing There are four components to relational organizing: Make a list of WHO is in your network Write down your WHY (and think about your pals’ WHY) Figure out the WHAT, WHEN, and WHERE to help your network make a voting plan Follow up 1. Make a list of WHO is in your network Who should you reach out to? It will be different for everyone, but you should reach out to people you have a general shared connection with, or someone who you think shares your values. This can be: Family Friends Parents of your kids’ friends The last 5 people you texted All the group chats you’re in Clubs/sports leagues you are involved with Book clubs Mutuals on social media, etc 2. Write down your WHY (and think about your pals’ WHY) Brainstorm reasons why you’re organizing your networks to vote. Be clear on why you think this election is important + why you want them to vote. Remember, you are your network’s trusted messenger. If you are reaching out to close friends, they will listen to you! At the same time, if you are reaching out to someone you are acquainted with, but are not close friends (think dog park buddies), brainstorm conversation starters that will get them talking and show that you’re a good listener. Our Relational Organizing Worksheet (view only version) includes some guiding prompts and space for you to write out conversation starters to get your network thinking about upcoming elections. 3. Figure out the WHAT, WHEN, and WHERE to help your network make a voting plan This step is making a list of WHAT you want your pals to do, and work with them to MAKE A PLAN to do it. Make it easy for them, you know?! And yeah, it includes voting, but everything else that surrounds voting too. Are your friends registered to vote? Do your friends know when the vote by mail deadline is? When and where they can vote early? Step 1: Decide WHAT do you want to ask your pals to do. Register to vote Vote early with you Return their vote by mail ballot Final reminder to vote by Election Day Volunteer for a campaign Step 2: Help your network MAKE A VOTE PLAN. WHEN will they take action? And WHERE? Dates and deadlines: Reach out to your friends around key deadlines, but not just the due dates! Use votesaveamerica.com/vote: Utilize our voting tool at votesaveamerica.com/vote to get a glimpse at upcoming voting deadlines for your election, including early voting and election day voting locations. Make a plan: Help your friends make a plan for when they will vote or take some other action. Pro tip: Work with them to visualize their day around voting. That is, ask them what will they during before and after they cast their ballot. Your method of outreach: Finally, think through how you will reach out to your network. Will you give them a call, drop it in the group chat,or bring it up at the dog park? It’s your network, you know what will work best. 4. Follow up A favorite axiom of organizers from Fred Ross is, “90 percent of organizing is follow up.” Relational organizing isn’t about sharing your personal story and then saying, “ok, bye see you never.” The point of relational organizing is you are likely having a conversation with someone you communicate with regularly or semi-regularly. So, take advantage. Follow up with your friends whenever makes sense, and ask them if they have any follow up questions. Refer back to things they said in your initial conversation to let them know you were listening. (To be clear — and to state the obvious — do this because you care, not because it’s a tactic.) Relational Organizing Worksheet You should absolutely keep track in a way that makes the most sense for you, but here is a Relational Organizing Worksheet (view only version) if you would like to use one.